


God Bless Catastrophe

by InTheShadows



Series: What Doesn't Kill You (Is Bound To Try Again) [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Bullying, Civil War Team Iron Man, De-Aged Tony Stark, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Insecure Tony Stark, M/M, Ned Is a Good Bro, Not Spider-Man: Homecoming Compliant, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Tony Stark, Teenager Tony Stark, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, peter Parker is a good boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 19:26:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12372432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InTheShadows/pseuds/InTheShadows
Summary: Things are going well since Loki had de-aged him. He has an awesome boyfriend, a new friend who just might be his new Science Bro, a bright - if challenging - future. It's good. But then he starts doing things he shouldn't physically be able to do and the blood test reveals some unnerving results. Peter is acting distant and denying that anything is wrong. And he still has issues, even if they were less than before all of this. He should have known, second chance or not, that good things never last when it comes to him.minor new scene now added





	God Bless Catastrophe

**Author's Note:**

> Ah ha! Yes, this is now officially a series. Whether this is a good thing or not, you'll have to decide for yourself (and remember, you only have yourself to blame. Yes, you. You know who you are.) The plan, thus far, is to have four main stories and a couple of side ones. Is that set in stone? No because any time I try to plan this kind of thing out, it never stays the same.  
> theme: [Mercy Me (Alkaline Trio Cover)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKVrnvjx324) by Nathan Sharp  
> Hope you enjoy it :)  
>  **edit 3/26: **There is a new scene added to this story that was originally written for story three, but then I realized it fit better in this one. Rather than just scrapping it, I am adding it. It's nothing that changes the story, just some more Tony before he calls Stef. If you want to read it search for the [x] that will be at the beginning and ending of the added scene. If not, it's not crucially important. I just added some more of Tony freaking out/history of his friendship with Stef before all of this.****

The first time it happens, Tony doesn't think much about it. Nor the second or the third. Alright, so the point is that Tony doesn't really register anything strange until he catches the car engine. With his bare hands. That sent a few bells off in his mind then.

Before this, he had noted that he was slightly more clumsy than usual. But only absentmindedly because he had put it down as an adjustment period to his new body. He tripped over his feet, he broke a few coffee mugs, he had to pay extra attention to his coordination when he was wiring, he was able to exercise longer. Little things like that. Things that, in hindsight, should have made him stop and pause. But they didn't, so here he is, staring down in a sort of shocked awe.

He had been taking some down time to relax and just give his hands free reigns to work. So naturally he decided to fiddle with one of his cars. God he loved these cars. It had always been one of his goals to own an obnoxious amount of cars to mess around with. But that's not the important part here. The important part is that he stopped an engine from falling  _ with just his hands _ . Now Tony is strong. He has to be to be a) engineer like he wants to, b) work in the lab like he does and c) be Iron Man (technically Iron Defender now, but whatever). And he's young again, so that helps. But even on his best days he was never able to hold roughly 550lb as if he was holding a paper clip.

He looks down, blinking a few times to show that, yes, he really _is_ holding the engine. It's not a hallucination. Dum-E, who was the one who knocked over the tripod that was supporting the engine in the first place, beeps in concern at him. He looks up at his bot, but doesn't really see him. It's a rather surreal moment considering everything else that has happened to Tony over the years – including everything from Iron Man to being de-aged back to a teenager.

“Boss?” FRIDAY asks, sounding worried.

“Just to check, I _am_ lifting this engine when I shouldn't be able to, right?” he asks instead, just to be sure.

“Indeed Boss. By all rights you should have broken bones trying to catch it. You record for benching weight is 300lb max.”

“Huh.” He blinks down at the engine before finally setting it on the ground in front of him. “I wonder if this is how Pete felt when he realized he had powers...”

“Should I inform Spiderling of this Boss? Or anyone? I believe this is outside your realm of expertise.” His AI still sounds concerned, which is odd considering she didn't take it this bad when Loki showed up in the lab a bit over a month before. Maybe because she didn't think he was in any real danger last time? Loki may be listed on their villain records, but she has never met him before. This time? Broken bones would have been the least of his worries. And why the fuck did he move to grab it anyways? Did he think he was in the suit? Dumb ass.

He shakes his head. “Not yet. I want to run some tests before we tell anyone yet.” Tony takes a moment to take a deep breath before letting it out slowly. Right, he can do this. He is Tony fucking Stark, he can do anything. Even deal with unexpected super strength. He flexes his shoulders and grins, “Let's get to work.”

He is thankful Rhodey is out of the Compound right now. The last thing he wants to do is explain any of this to him yet. He doesn't even know what is going on himself. His best friend has taken the de-aging thing pretty well so far, but he doesn't want to push it. His platypus is use to weird, but this has to be pushing it. Of course there was that one spring break...

Tony shakes his head. No, he is _not_ thinking about that spring break. He really wishes he could forget the damn donkey incident. Besides, Rhodey is at PT and he doesn't want anything disturbing his schedule. He is still working on the braces for his legs.

The first thing he does is take a few blood samples to be analyzed while he hits the gym. A small part of him expects for it to be blue or some weird shit, but it's still the same red that is always his. When he enters the gym, he goes straight to the section designed to withstand Rogers, Thor and, technically although the Big Guy never used it, the Hulk. Staring at the equipment, he begins with strength testing. Next he moves to endurance, flexibility and balance. When he reads the results at the end, he finds himself blinking again. Seriously, this is getting ridiculous.

“Alright, what the hell did the fucker do to me?” he demands towards the room at large. “Because clearly this is way past some simple de-aging spell. No way I should be able to do a quarter of this shit. Fry, compare with the others results.”

When FRIDAY pulls up a report of his former teammates averages, he whistles. “Damn,” he curses in admiration. Because he is clearly past both the wonder twins _and_ Rogers with these results. He's not Thor's level of good, but he's not bad off either. Roger has a 1,200lb weight limit. Thor can lift about 125 tons. Tony... he hasn't hit his limit yet and he stopped at about 20 ton. He stares down at his hands. They still look the same. Nothing has changed.

Only everything has. He is now equipped to go head to head with some of the most powerful beings on this planet. No more will he be the weak link on a team of overpowered members. No more will he be 'just' a genius in a metal suit.

He throws his head back and laughs. He laughs and laughs  _ and laughs _ . Because this? This is such a combination of shock and awesomeness and he should have totally seen something like this coming. But he didn't. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth and he didn't, but apparently he should have because holy fuck. He was a badass before. But now...

Now he will not let anyone throw him down again. They push and he will _push back_. Suit or no suit, he will kick their ass if they think they can mess with Tony fucking Stark. Never again will someone man handle him by the throat. Never again will they team up against him and leave him to die. Never again will he by bossed around be super powered individuals. _Never again._ He smirks. Maybe he should send Loki two fruit baskets instead of one.

Part of him is still pissed though. The part that hates magic, not because of some imaginary slight to his ego as people probably think. No. He hates magic because he doesn't understand it. To him, it looks like a bunch of hand wavy shit and light shows. Who can do anything with that? He vaguely recalls asking Thor about it one time, but the god hadn't been any help. Apparently magic was not his division... He only uses a magical hammer. And Loki is supposedly the best sorcerer on the floating island. So what was Tony thinking in asking him? Why would he know?

It's enough to give him a headache.

So now he has to figure this shit out too, along with the Infinity Stones and setting up Earth's protections. Great. That reminds him, he really needs to talk to Vision. He still hasn't seen heads nor tails of the android. He heads out of the gym and back to his room to shower and change. Not that he even worked up much of a sweat. Even after everything he did, he's not even sore. This is ridiculous. _Magic_ is ridiculous.

“Hey Fry,” he muses as he leans against the counter, waiting for the coffee to brew, “have you heard anything about any magic users on Earth by chance?”

“Yes Boss, in fact one popped up just last year – one Doctor Strange.”

Tony blinks at the name. “Would his full name by chance be Stephen Vincent Strange?”

“Indeed Boss it is. You know him?”

[x] 

“Stef and I go way back. We met at a party when I was in my first year at MIT.” Not the Stef went there, of course. He was studying to be a doctor after all. But his college was also less than ten miles from Tony's. He had met at a party when Tony had been fourteen and the rest, as they say, is history.

Only it's not quite that much history to Tony. Even though it's technically been decades now, Tony's last memory is talking to Stef just last week. They had been planning a party for Tony's graduation. A small one, friends only. Which meant he, Rhodey and Stef. Only he knows that has already happened. And it was a blast. That's the problem though. Tony remembers it, but he doesn't really  _ remember  _ it. It's like the rest of his future – a movie someone else lived through.

“Hey Fry baby,” he says, voice sounding distant in his ears, “I'm going to take a break for a bit. Maybe take a walk before we continue.”

“Are you alright Boss?” she asks, worried.

“Yeah I'm great. Don't worry about me. I think I might test my speed or something. You know, cardio. That's the most important part of exercise isn't it?”

“Actually, it's -”

“Hey baby girl, not to cut you off, but I'm going to go now?” He takes off running. FRIDAY asks another question, but he doesn't answer her. In truth, he barely hears her. There is a rushing in his ears that seems to be blocking everything else out. His breath starts to speed up just as he bursts out the door and it's not from the run either.

Panic is trying to take over. Tony pushes it back, pushes everything back and runs. He heads straight for the forest, intent on giving himself something to focus on. Not running into trees counts as a good enough distraction, right? Looks like Tony will find out in a minute.

When he enters the forest, he knows he is going far faster than he has ever been able to do. Even when he was originally this age and in good shape, he could have never have done this. The field he just crossed only took him a fraction of the time it should have. Now, dodging trees and roots and uneven ground, he lets him mind focus on just that. Letting his feet go in whatever direction, he picks up even more speed. A stray thought of 'Oh, this is why Steve use to run' goes through his thoughts before it vanishes, along with everything else.

To make things a little more interesting, he begins to test his agility. How fast can he turn? How well can he swerve around this branch? This one? Can he get fancy with it? Any flips or anything? It's just Tony and the forest now, as his brain flashes through the calculations in his head.

Not that he always gets them right. He may be used to his seventeen year old body, but he is not use to everything else. New limits are being tested. He knew what he could do before, but not what he can do now. As a result, he runs into more than one tree, with more near misses. Damn is he glad that no one could see him right now. They'd probably laugh their asses off. But that doesn't slow him down. If anything, it makes him push harder.

He is running away from these thoughts after all. He doesn't want to imagine what the other's reactions would be. He doesn't want to imagine them at all right now. Blindly he wipes away blood from the cut above his eye, finally breathing hard. He has no idea how long he has been doing this, but he still doesn't stop. He might never stop at this point.

If not for the thoughts trying to weigh him down, this would be almost peaceful. He's out here alone, no one else around for miles. Rhodey is at PT and won't be back for some time. Peter is still at school. Vision is only god knows where. He never seems to be around any more. He wonders vaguely if it's him or Tony.

Probably Tony. Isn't that what it always is? 'It's not you, it's me except for where it's totally you'. How often has he heard that? Too many times to think about. That's why he keeps his friends so close. Because there is so few people who can deal with Tony for more than a few minutes without getting sick of him. The first time he was seventeen, there was only two – Rhodey and Stef. And now that's no longer true. He has people.

But the original two have moved on. Not really because up until a few months ago, Tony was right there with them. Now he's not. He's essentially begun again and they haven't. They haven't felt him, but it doesn't feel like they are with him anymore. Not like they use to be.

Hell, not like Stef was before all of this shit. Searching through everything, he remembers the last conversation they had – it was shortly after Stef's accident. Stef was determined to fix his hands and Tony had been trying to be supportive, but it wasn't working. Stef hadn't been in a good place and the conversation ended in a yelling match. Tony didn't hold it against him. He also remembers what he was like right after Afghanistan. So he had given Stef space. That had been the last time they talked.

But all Tony remembers is  _ their planning his graduation party _ . A damn life time ago to Stef, but last week practically to Tony. And that's why he's running. Because there are now decades separating him from one of his only friends.

Coming to a suitable looking tree, he leaps up and grabs a branch. Climbing effortlessly to the top, he settles himself down to catch his breath. He's breathing heavy now, however long he ran. Gingerly he flexes the hand that stopped him from running face first into a trunk. It should probably be broken, bleeding at least, but all it is is a bit bruised.

What is he anymore? Just another question he should probably ask Stef.

He's not sure why this is hitting him so hard now. He didn't have this problem seeing Rhodey for the first time. Hell, he waltzed right in like nothing had changed. And they hadn't, between the two of them. But now, with Stef, it's enough to send him into a panic attack. Is it because he is closer to Rhodey than Stef? That's he's known Rhodey longer? But if so, it should be the other way around, shouldn't it?

Then again, it's not as if he met Rhodey years before. The two are separated by a semester, barely. A lot can happen in a semester, but it's still not a large amount of time. His first one may have been an eye opener, but his second one wasn't much different, in those terms. So that can't be it.

He wipes at the blood trying to run into his eye angrily. Emotions suck. They make no sense and all they do is make things more complicated. What use are they? Tony tips his head back and lets the wind blow in his face. It feels good, cooling the sweat off of his face.

Is part of his reaction just bad timing? Not only has he found out that he is suddenly able to do things he shouldn't be able to, now his other best friend is... well he's  _ old _ . He snorts. At seventeen, everything above thirty seems old. But then Stef was older than Tony to begin with. Everyone was. That's what you get for starting college at fourteen.

Look how the world has changed since then. Thinking about it, he has to laugh. It sounds downright insane. Super powers? Super heroes? Villains? His life is basically a comic book right now. Add in the de-aging and not only is he a comic book, he is a classic trope of a fanfiction of said comic books. There's something pretty amusing about that, if you're able to think about it and not freak out.

And Stef. Stef is now Sorcerer Supreme. That's another level of hilarious because not only _magic_ , but because Stef hates magic. Like _hates_ it. Doesn't believe in it at all. Well, technically that's all past tense now because clearly he does. He's like Harry Potter now. No, not Harry. _Stef is now Dumbledore_. Oh that's a good one. He's going to have to use that. Definitely.

Feeling calmer now, he climbs back down. Crisis averted for now, time to head back so he doesn't worry FRIDAY too much more. He hates worrying her at all, but right then he couldn't help it. He had to get out. Going at a jog, he sees just how far he had run in his panic. It's pretty impressive really. Something is definitely going on here.

“Hey FRIDAY,” he greets when he walks in, “sorry to worry you baby girl. I just needed some air.”

“Are you better now Boss?”

“Yeah, I'm good now. Should probably call Stef though. Get him in the loop, ask him some questions, you know. You can get his phone number, can't you?”

“What do you take me for?” she asks snootily.

Tony snorts in amusement. Sass. So much sass around here, it's a wonder the Compound can contain it.

[x] 

“Calling now Boss.” She plays the dial back tone, just to be a little shit about it.

“Hello?” a confused yet annoyed voice answers, “Who is this and how did you get my number?”

His voice has clearly changed over the years. It's deeper now. Smoother. It makes Tony think of melted chocolate – dark and sweet. “Stef,” he greets brightly, “heard you're a wizard now. Finally get your Hogwarts letter?”

“Tony?” Stef asks incredulously, “I thought you had retired. I saw your son's interview on the news.”

Tony laughs. Giggles really, although he'll forever deny it. “How little faith you have in me. I'm wounded Lucky Charms, truly I am.”

Stef just sighs. “I am going to regret asking this, but why are you calling now? We haven't spoken since the fight after my accident.”

“And now you're Sorcerer Supreme, Dumbledore himself.” Oh the nicknames that are just swimming through Tony's head right now. Priceless.

“And you're retired from flying in a tin can. What's your point?”

“Ouch Charms, you wound me. Truly you do.”

“I am hanging up now,” he warns.

“Just how good are you at magic?”

“ Does the title 'Sorcerer Supreme' not explain enough?” he asks and Tony just knows he is giving him  _ the look _ . Asshole.

“Well there's supreme as in Pizza Hut's shitty supreme and then there's a real supreme pizza.”

“ I'm offended just on principle of being compared to  _ Pizza Hut _ .”

“Oh good. Know anything about de-aging spells then?” he asks idly as he pours his coffee, taking a sip.

There is a long pause, then, “ _ You didn't _ .”

“ _No_ ,” Tony returns, “Really Charms, now I'm the offended one here. Why in the world would you think that I went messing around with that kind of shit? Just because _you_ went to the dark side, doesn't mean that _I_ did.”

“Shall I make a list of all the things you poked and/or disassembled that you absolutely shouldn't have?And in what order? Chronologically? Alphabetically? Most likely to explode?”

Tony waves him off even though the other man can't see him. “That's different. That's _science_ Stef, where's your sense of adventure?”

“You burnt it off along with my eyebrows when we were fifteen.”

Tony snickers because, yeah, that was a little bit larger of a reaction than he had been expecting. Still fun as shit though. Explosions always are. Somehow Stef was less than enthusiastic about the whole thing. “They grew back. Eventually.”

“Not helping. Now what did you do?”

“I told you, _I_ didn't do anything.”

“Then what did someone else do to you?” he asks in exasperation. 

“See, now that's more like it. Not everything is my fault you know. Just because everyone assumes it is, doesn't make it true. Why just-”

“Yeah yeah Einstein, get on with it,” Stef interrupts.

“Loki did it,” he blurts out the answer.

“ Loki,” he repeats and oh how he can just see the way Stef is looking at him through the phone. If the first time was  _ the look _ , now this is most certainly  _ The Look _ . “Why did Loki, the god who tried to take over the world, de-age you?”

“Because he digs my brains?”

“He must have seen a kindred spirit. Your egos certainly match.”

“Oh look who's talking kettle. And I'm serious.”

“So am I.”

“Asshole.”

“Smart ass.”

“This mean you're going to stop by later?”

“Why not now?” he asks just before a glowing circle appears before the teen and Stef steps out.

Tony takes a moment to yelp – internally of course – and then he takes in Stef as Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme in all of his glory. He bites his lip. Hard. It doesn't help. He bursts into laughter. Full out, side aching, wheezing laughter. He simply can't help it. “Holy shit Merlin,” he gasps, “where's your hat?”

Stef crosses his arms. “Mature,” he comments grumpily. Around him, his cloak flutters than detaches itself to inspect Tony for itself.

“No flying carpet?” he grins.

The cloak... well there's no other way to describe it. The thing looks  _ offended _ . Actually offended as if it was a person. And, alright, it is a magic cloak that moves by itself. It having feelings isn't that far fetched. It whirls around, grabbing Tony's shoulders and lifting him off the ground.

“Whoa!” he shouts and then adjusts his stance to stabilize himself, “Mind if we go for a quick spin?” he asks.

In answer, the cloak takes off.

Tony let's out a whoop of excitement as they rise. It is different from the suit. It is just his body he has to move. There isn't any metal or wires to compensate for. They go out the kitchen, into the living room and towards the windows. Tony has just enough time to open one before the cloak is taking him outside. They gain altitude immediately, high enough to give him a bird's eye view of the Compound.

He can feel the wind blowing around him. He twists and lets out another whoop as he flips. He loves flying. God does he love flying. It is the best part of the armour for sure. He is grinning ear to ear when he finally lands. “Definitely better than a flying carpet. High five.” He holds up his hand and the cloak smacks it. He looks at Stef. “It have a name?”

“The Cloak of Levitation,” he answers, glaring at the cloak, “Or fickle thing,” he adds pointedly.

The Cloak flicks its collar at the man.

“So Levi then.”

Stef sighs a long suffering sigh. “So Edan Stark then. At least you didn't name yourself Tony Jr.”

“Of course I didn't. I do have some creativity in case you have forgotten.”

“And it has never improved your naming abilities before. Who came up with it?”

“FRIDAY,” Tony answers, both annoyed and proud.

“Is that your AI?” Stef asks, mouth twitching.

“Yes,” Tony narrows his eyes at the man, “why?”

“So instead of you naming your AI, your AI is naming you now?” he laughs.

“Oh ha ha, very funny asshole.”

“Still a smart ass. You never answered my question either.”

“Which one?”

“Loki,” Stef deadpans.

Tony sighs. “Way to kill the mood. But I was serious earlier. He needs my intelligence because he thinks I will be able to stop the aliens from coming back.”

“ _ Aliens  _ from  _ coming back _ . You mean the army he led, they are coming back? And he wants you to stop them from what? Finishing what he started?”

Tony just stares at Stef for a long moment. “As of now, if we don't do anything, we are fucked. I can't even tell you how many ships there were, even after a destroyed some with that nuke. And they are headed straight for us. I got the impression Rock of Ages was just a handy tool they used.”

“Earth _does_ have other defenses you know. That's what us sorcerers are for.”

Tony snorts. “Would have loved to know that earlier. Been nice to have someone actually listen and believe me. So,  _ you sorcerers _ ,” Tony smirks, “are you all Harry Potter like or can us mere mortals know about you?”

Stef snorts, but answers, “Well don't go spreading it around too much, but you aren't going to be obliviated if that's what you're worried about.”

“Oh good. They'd probably fuck something up.”

“And no one would be able to tell the difference afterwards,” Stef smirks.

Tony sticks his tongue out at him. “Alright asshole, enough of you for today. I'll send you the other shit you need to know later.”

“Why, are you tired of my pretty face already?”

Tony laughs and flips him off. “Bye Dumbledore.”

Stef opens a portal. “See you later jail bait,” he calls as he steps through. It vanishes behind him.

“I am not jail bait,” he grumbles as he goes back inside, “Why does everyone call me jail bait when it isn't true?”

“Maybe it's your height,” FRIDAY offers.

Tony just scowls at her, making sure she can see him. People always think they are funny when they say that – 'I thought you'd be taller in person'. As if he hasn't heard it a thousand times before. It's not witty. It's not cute. It's annoying, is what it is. So what if he's not the tallest male there is. So what if he use to have to stand on boxes when he did photo shoots with Pepper. So what if there use to be some lifts in his dress shoes. Height didn't count for everything. Personality plays a big part of it. One of the reasons he commands the room like he does. By the end of MIT it's a trick he has ruthlessly learned.

He picks his empty mug up and refills it. Tapping his fingers on the counter, he checks the time and smiles. Only an hour until Peter gets out of class. His boyfriend always has a way of making him smile. Mainly because he's an adorable ball of fluff, stuttering and determination. He objects to the title 'adorable', but he is. He totally is.

He never meant to start a relationship with the other teen to begin with. If it wasn't for Jane and Darcy, he never would have been. He was convinced that something would go wrong and ruin everything. To be frank, part of him still thinks that. The doubt is lurking in the back of his mind, waiting to strike. Because his happiness never seems to last long. But everything has been going good so far.

Peter usually swings by after school for a bit to do his homework and mess around before he goes off to do his Spidey thing. Unless Tony gets called out before and then he automatically tags along. He has forbidden him from skipping school, but if it after then he is always right by his side. They haven't had anything big yet. The largest mess was some Doom bots and, well. _Doom bots._ No one takes those things seriously anymore. Tony isn't even sure if Doom himself does. Half the time he swears the man is just trolling everyone with them.

But there is a reason the internet is shipping them. Not anything major does not mean anything. Nor does it mean they are not the most visible heroes out since the disaster that has been dubbed the 'Avengers Civil War'. Whatever. So the media has been following them pretty heavily thus far. Tony knows he is going to have to make a move regarding that soon.

Part of the problem – one of many – was that the Avengers were so private with what they did. They were seen as a threat because they weren't seen as real humans. Not really. Tony was the most visible of them all and that may not have been a good thing. If there is nothing the media loves more, it is vilifying Tony Stark. He was the tabloids go to person when things were slow. Everyone wanted their fifteen minutes of fame with him.

They were legends and they were mysterious and they were dangerous. Was it any wonder people reacted like they did? So this time around, he is going to have to change that. He is going to have to invoke new strategies of handling the press. They cannot waste their time fighting among themselves. There are more important things out there and he intends to tackle them head first. Hopefully this time with more luck than last time.

But this time he feels like he has people behind him that he can trust. Really trust. He thought he could trust the Avengers, but he was wrong. Time showed him that well enough. So did Ultron. The warning signs were clear. They had been clear long before Ultron. Tony just didn't want to see them, so he ignored them. He had other issues to deal with. And he desperately wanted a group of people to fit in with. He had thought the team was his chance. They weren't.

Rogers was full of shit when he claimed the Avengers were more his than the dear old Captain's. All one had to do is look around. Who was left? None of the original team, that's for sure. He spent his entire life compared to the man. He was the measuring stick Howard used to decide the worth of his son. And he always fell short. He shouldn't be surprised that this is how things ended. It's almost as if they never got past that first fight on the helicarrier.

It was as if he was screaming, but no one could hear him. Even when he wasn't wearing – that many – masks, it was all they could see. It was Tony Stark the Asshole  TM or Tony Stark the Arrogant Genius  TM or a number of his other masks. It was never just him. Never just Tony himself. As SHIELD so kindly pointed out, Iron Man, yes; Tony Stark, not recommended.

And didn't that sting. Especially coming from the Dread Pirate himself. Did he think Tony was so stupid to forget? Or did he think that Tony just wouldn't care? Either way, it's not a very flattering conclusion and the reason Tony worked so hard to piss Fury off.

But never mind those assholes. He has new people now. Better people. People that don't want to use him for his money or his brains or his guilt. People that actually care. Isn't _that_ a strange concept? He grimaces as he takes a sip of his coffee. Yuck. It's gone cold as he stood there staring at the oven. Shaking his head to clear it, he pops it into the microwave and reheats it. After it beeps he takes it and hops up onto the island, grabbing his tablet to type an upgrade for the suit. He loses himself in the numbers and doesn't register anything until “Tony, I'm here! I mean obviously I'm here. You wouldn't be able to hear me if I wasn't. But I'm letting you know that and-”

Tony grins and looks up to see a frustrated Peter. He still hasn't mastered the art of not babbling at Tony yet. Privately he hopes the teen never does. It's one of those traits listed under 'adorable' that Peter always protests about. It's true though. Tony beckons him over with a finger.

Peter returns his grin and comes. When he is close enough, he pulls him in for a warm, thorough kiss. Kissing is all they have done this far. It's... nice. It's not as if Tony has never had sex before. He got that in the boat loads during college. Meaningful relationships? Not so much. It's an odd – but, as previously stated, nice – change of pace.

“Please tell me you don't have English homework today,” Tony says when he pulls away. He's all for helping if he needs it, but there is nothing Tony hates more than English. He paid someone to do his homework in high school and hacked his way out of it in college. He _really_ hates English.

Peter pulls a face because he doesn't like it any better. “No, thank god. I only have chem today.”

“Great!” Tony grins, “Then we can work on my new project. I'm playing around with hydraulics at the moment.”

“Cool. Why though?”

“Cause it was late when I started it and I was bored. But now I'm trying to see if I can make it into anything useful.”

They head down to the workshop where Peter pulls out his book and Tony starts fiddling with a mass of wires on one of his tables. This particular project is his attempt of making more portable armour. He already has his wrist gauntlet which works great, but now he wants more. He is working on boots next. He needs something sleek, comfortable and unsuspecting. Thus far everything he has made has turned out too bulky and hard on the feet. But he's not too worried about it yet, he just started this week.

When Peter finishes he comes over and Tony switches projects. They goof off for a few hours before Peter leaves to go patrol. Tony tries to get him to stay for supper with him and Rhodey, but he declines. As he watches the teen go, Tony frowns. Now that he thinks about it, something had seemed... off with Peter today. Like he wasn't fully here. Was something wrong? Or was it something Tony said maybe?

But he shakes his head. No. He is not going there. Jane, Darcy and Rhodey have all been on his case about analyzing things too much. They complain he looks for problems that aren't there. He can't help it though. When things seem too good to be true, they generally are. Still, they probably have a point with this. Peter was probably having an off day today. Nothing to worry about. Happens to everyone.

Now if only the voice in the back of his head would get the hint.

“Boss, Rhodes has the pizza and is waiting for you in the kitchen,” FRIDAY informs him some time later.

Tony looks up, blinking. He didn't realize that that much time had passed. Equations swim through his head, dancing across his vision. He types the last one to have a place to pick back up after he eats, but then he continues because if he increases the power here then he will need to-

“Boss man, food time,” FRIDAY says again.

“Food. Right. Save all the work and run the sequence. I'll take a look at the results when I'm done.”

“Sure thing Boss man. Have fun,” she adds cheekily.

Tony snorts and gives her a two finger salute as he leaves the shop, tablet in hand. He types as he walks, a skill he perfected long ago. It was a necessary thing to learn after he ran into too many people when he was in high school. And take it that he was at least five years younger than the rest of his classmates...  _ Necessary. _

Rhodey sighs in exasperation when he enters the room. “It's going to be one of those nights then?” he asks, well familiar with how this works.

“Sorry honey bear,” he tells him, “but my brain waits for no man. Not even me.”

“Isn't that the truth. Still down to marathon Star Trek?”

“Better make it Star Wars tonight. I watch Star Trek and I just might end up adding a transporter onto the suit. No wait, that sounds awesome, let's watch it.”

“ Oh no,” Rhodey protests, “you are not adding a transporter before you demonstrate –  _ multiple times,  _ on  _ something that isn't yourself _ –  that it works without splinching yourself. And you've already built both a lightsaber and the Death Star, so we should be safe there.”

“Really platypus, what have I told you about mixing fandoms. It's like mixing drinks – you just don't do it. Or people do, but I'm a purist, so-”

“ Purist my ass.” Rhodey retorts. “Have you forgotten that I have heard your arguments,  _ multiple times _ , defending your decisions of who would be Sorted into what House. Are you still under the delusion that Kirk is definitely a-”

Tony cuts him off. “Do you want to start sour patch, because I still say Kirk is totally-”

“ _No_ ,” Rhodey interrupts him quickly, “never mind, we are _not_ going there tonight. You remember what happened last time. Now shut up and eat your pizza before it gets cold.”

Tony obeys, but not without a grin on his face. That means he won. It definitely does, no matter what else his honey bear might argue. Victory is his. He takes a large bite out of his pizza as the opening scene rolls onto the screen in front of him.

He is only paying a fourth of attention to the movie in front of him. Not only is he more of a Trekkie, he can quote these movies forwards and backwards. He knows, he's done it before. Drunk. The classics are always the first ones to get played for movie nights. And Rhodey is right, he successfully built a lightsaber when he was sixteen. And he has the plans for the Death Star saved on his hard drive.

That is what happens to bored and/or drunk engineering nerds. They pick apart both good and bad sci-fi and attempt to create it themselves. Tony just happens to be the one with the most successful record overall. He wonders how badly he would get sued if he used his lightsaber in battle. Hmm, something to look into.

Maybe he could cut them a deal? Who owns the right to them now anyways? He thinks he vaguely remembers noting a change a few years back, but anything trivial doesn't really registers since Loki de-aged him. It's still there, but not very clear. So he remembers thermonuclear astrophysics, but not Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. He's been having to catch up with all the references he misses the past thirty or so years. It's annoying.

Understandable as well because who really remembers every single detail of their lives after they have lived it? No one. Memory is a shit thing. Even Tony, with his eidetic memory, doesn't, Mainly because he would go insane if he tried. There's a distinct difference between remembering all of the numbers of pi out to the thousandth digit because you were bored and remembering your entire wardrobe when you were five. So he has learned to forget things he deems unimportant.

Then again, after the watched the last Indie movie, he realizes there was probably a reason he forgot it in the first place. Dear god, way to ruin childhood right there.

It isn't until it is three in the morning, long after Rhodey has gone to bed, that FRIDAY speak up again. “The results are done if you want to look at them Boss.”

Tony doesn't look away from the tv, but he focuses his attention on his AI. “How bad is it baby girl?” he asks, wanting at least some warning before he looks at them. He would prefer some time to prepare if he needs it.

“I would compare them to both Rogers and Prince Thunderstorm.”

“Prince Thunderstorm?” That is great. FRIDAY hasn't met Thor yet, so he hasn't heard that particular nickname yet, but it's golden. “Gold star fry doll. Now let's have it.”

The results appear on the screen. Something in Tony freezes as he reads them. This... is not what he was expecting. He wasn't sure what he was expecting. He knew, from his results in the gym, that he was now stronger – better, physically – than Rogers. But this...

“Am I even human?” The question slips through his lips without permission. He can't stop it though. The shock runs through him like a bucket of icy water. Because it is one thing to find oneself suddenly super powered. To know you are now able to protect yourself from those more powerful than you. It is another to find out you may no longer be human. Or only part human. Biology may not be Tony's specialty, but that does not mean he is clueless about it. Between what he picked up from Bruce and what he learned himself, he can get by.

And speaking of Bruce, Tony tells FRIDAY to bring his blood test up as well. Yup, just what he thought – different from Tony's and Rogers. Not that he was expecting the results to be comparable to the Big Guy, but this confirms that he has definitely changed. Bruce's genes are still human, just... more added. The are minor similarities between him and Rogers.

Rogers is the peak of human perfection. That was what the serum was suppose to do – bring humanity to the brink of perfection. But the key word is humanity – human. Thor is a god – or at least a very powerful alien. He comes from a race that have a strong warrior culture. They live for the fight and they do it well. Space Spartans. Sort of.

Tony's makeup is now closer to Thor's than to Rogers. He isn't going to suddenly start summoning storms or whatever, but he could probably hold his own against him without the suit. With the suit... well, if he had this at the time, their first fight would have gone very differently. If Rogers could hold his own... Tony could probably kick his ass. Or have a good chance at kicking his ass, at the very least. He frowns as he reads. No, no longer human. But whatever the hell Loki did to him didn't turn him into a god either. There is something else in his blood. Something he has never seen before. “Fry, pull Loki's blood tests up.” And wasn't _that_ a bitch to get. Loki was not happy that Bruce wanted a blood sample. Even with him as weak as he was, Thor had a hell of a time getting it.

Bruce had taken a sample of all of their blood, for research purposes. Just his research – and Tony because he had been looking over his shoulder the entire time. Not that the rest of the team knows that. But that had been the only way his science bro was going to get them. Even Tony himself had been cagey about it. Comes from a lifetime of guarding himself against rapid fans, stalker, potential kidnappers and the world in general.

Things get even more interesting once he reads Loki's test. Because not only is it still different from Tony's, it is different from Thor's. Adopted brother, right. Thor had always been reluctant to talk about that, even when asked. He was happy to tell Tony about their childhood, but not about the adoption. Something about bad blood between the two species. Tony took that to mean the myths were right and Loki was a Jotunn. Didn't sound too bad to Tony, but what did he know?

Still, thinking over those stories, he's not so sure he would want to visit Asgard. He can identify more with Loki than Thor. Probably why Thor talked to him so much about his past. He never did with the others. Not about his family anyways. Sure, he was always happy to talk about the hunts he had been in or the warriors he had defeated or the feasts they had. But whenever family would come up, Thor shut the hell up. Which was impressive taking it that he seemingly never figured out how to use his inside voice. Personally, Tony thinks Thor is a bit of a troll.

Didn't change that fact Tony was the only person Thor trusted his stories of his little brother with. Or the fact that he compared the two of them all the time. Never in words so much, but he had a specific look in his eyes that Tony got use to seeing. Maybe that's why Thor never understood him either, for all that he tried.

Not that any of that matters. What matters is that Tony's results do not match up with the Trickster's either, although they seem to be closer in a way. If he is reading things right, it seems as if Tony and Loki would be evenly matched, physically. Add magic and Tony is at a horrid disadvantage. But without it? It seems Tony is as strong as a god after all.

Fuck.  _ Tony is on the same level as a god.  _ What the ever living fuck?! That shouldn't be possible. It is far beyond human capabilities. That doesn't change the facts though. They are staring Tony right in the face. He is now equal with a god. “Fuck a duck,” he mutters.

“That is just a phrase right? Because, if not, I would advise against it,” FRIDAY tells him smartly.

Tony laughs at that. He sinks back into the couch and laughs until his sides ache. Because his AI is growing and learning. Because this is so much more terrifying right now than cool. Because he is no longer human, but something else. Something new. Because what does he even do with this?

He laughs because he _definitely_ should have looked that gift horse in the mouth.

-xxx-

The next few days are hard on Tony. He is still coming to terms with the fact that his humanity is now in question. No, not in question. There isn't one, even if he wants to fool himself into thinking there is one. He is no longer human.

Of course he doesn't tell anyone this.

What would they think? Rhodey is use to dealing with some weird shit when it comes to him. They have been through so much together. They have been practically brothers since MIT. But this is the thing, he only remembers MIT. Theoretically he knows Rhodey is his best friend. That he has never abandoned him. Never given up on him, no matter what he does. But Tony is still seventeen and he has only had his first friend for two years. It took almost a decade last time before Tony was convinced that his honey bear wouldn't leave him.

He remembers, because he actually marked the day on his calendar. He calls it an anniversary in his head and always steals Rhodey away for the day when he can. He never knows why, Tony has never told him – mainly because than he would get that sad, pitying look on his face. So yes, he has some contradictory feelings on that.

Pepper? Jane? Darcy? For all intents and purposes, he just met the former and he really just met the latter two not too long ago. How can he know that he can trust them. He trusted Pepper with his life at one point, but it is the same with Rhodey. How can he know? She is another that has her own anniversary he never told her about. She complains that he never remembered her birthday, but to him, that was a much more important date.

His boyfriend? Peter is another matter entirely. It is both easier and harder to imagine telling Peter. Because Peter knows. He has been there. He can bench press 25 ton, from what he has told Tony. He is strong. He is fast. His senses are heightened. Even though he is still growing into his powers, no one can deny he has them. At the same time however, he is still firmly human. Mutant, technically, from that spider bite, but still human.

What Tony has is not a mutation. It is not a development of some previously inactive or new gene into his body. It is not any known change of any kind. It is new. Some would say exciting. And maybe Tony would agree if he wasn't freaking out so much. It reminds him distinctively about the freak out he had over his arc reactor, before. It should be a scientific marvel. Instead, it gave him panic attacks and nightmares.

Now he isn't at that point yet. The sheer panic he feels about his change is nowhere near the panic he felt about the reactor. Probably because this happened under much less traumatizing circumstances. That does not stop him from comparing the two incidences, however, and finding similarities.

What if Peter is disgusted that Tony is no longer human? Or he is interested and finds Tony freak out annoying.

It probably doesn't help that he is still acting off. One day can be excused for a bad day. Hell, even a week can be excused. Shit happens, Tony gets it. He has had more than his fair share of those. Who is he to judge? He's not going to make an ocean out of a puddle.

Or at least that is what he tells himself.

There is no reason to panic. It's not as if Peter is pushing him away or anything like that. He isn't ignoring him or being purposefully obnoxious or any of the other ways to push someone away. Tony would notice, he has implied those methods enough in his years, seventeen or no.

Peter is still enthusiastic about any project they work on after his homework. He still blushes and babbles far too much. He still kisses Tony with the same amount of enthusiasm and warmth. But he is spacing out more. Slower to react when Tony makes a joke. He doesn't show up at the shop every day anymore. The one time they go out to take care of a group of Doom bots – damn Reed, where is he now? - he doesn't banter with Tony like he usually does. He's distant in the way someone is when they have heavy thoughts on their mind. But whenever Tony mentions it, he denies it or says it's nothing.

Tony wants to call bullshit, but he knows he can't. Or rather, he can, but he knows it won't do any good. Nothing can make a person talk if they don't want to. Tony himself is proof of that. Pushing never helps. It just pushes the other person farther away.

So he doesn't. He freaks out instead.

By the second week, it begins to wear on him. He begins second guessing himself and hesitating where he never did before. Part of him thinks he is being ridiculous. The other part thinks he is justified. He wants, no  _ needs _ , answers, but has no idea how to get them. How do normal people do this? It can't be that hard, everyone does it all the time.

Humaning sucks.

By the third week he is officially convinced something is wrong. That _he_ did something wrong. It has to be. It fits. People finally realize that he isn't worth it and start to pull away from him. They get sick of him and drop him when he gets to be too much. Is that what Peter thinks? Tony is too much. That he is just coming around because he feels he needs to? Because he doesn't want to be responsible for a broken Tony? Because of the Spiderman suit maybe?

There are only so many reasons why people want to be around him – sex, money and fame. He isn't good for much else. Even when he was an Avenger, he wasn't much better. They needed his tech and his money to pay for them. They needed him in the field, but not off of it – they just needed his things then. And it is happening all over again.

He won't say anything about it. It may break his heart, but he won't. Because this is his second chance. He needs this. And Loki didn't give it to him so he can be happy. No, the god gave it to him so that he can save the world. He couldn't use a broken Tony Stark to do that. He was being too pathetic before. He needs him whole and healthy. Happiness has nothing to do with it.

And because he can't imagine life without Peter anymore. He has worked his way in so quickly, it seems impossible, but it's true. Peter has become his new Pepper in a matter of... fuck, only weeks. In two months he managed what it took both Rhodey and Pepper years to do – become someone Tony can depend on.

So he won't say anything. He has lived through this before. He can do it again. It won't be as bad either. It can't. Because even at his worse, Peter can't be as cruel as his ex teammates can be. He doesn't have it in him. Not that he doesn't think that Peter doesn't have a dark side. But because he held some hero worship for Tony for so long – yeah, he totally picked up on that – that it is unlikely he will stop caring for him completely. So he might be sick and tired of him, but at least he won't tear him down.

Not intentionally anyways. It's going to hurt like hell when he breaks up with him. Which he has to. Tony won't let him be miserable in a relationship that he doesn't want. It would hurt even more for him to continue pretending. This is going to need to be like removing a band aid – fast. None of the slow and steady crap, that just prolongs the pain.

He'll let Peter know that it's fine. That he doesn't have to worry about it. There's no reason for him to feel guilty, he won't have to clean upTony or anything like that. He can get through this. He can.

He always was shit about lying to himself.

But he has some of the best masks. He's been wearing them since before he could talk essentially. Such is the life in the limelight.

He runs into a problem however. He can't seem to make himself take that first step. He can't tell Peter that it is alright if he wants to get away from Tony. If he wants to break up. It hurts just thinking those words, let alone trying to say them. Every time he opens his mouth, they get stuck somewhere in his throat. They lodge themselves in like peanut butter – thick and unmoving.

And until he can get them out, he is going to enjoy this as well as he can.

“Petey!” he calls happily, bouncing in his shoes, when Peter walks into the kitchen one day, “Pete, Spiderling, Underoos, just the person I wanted to see.”

Peter smiles at him. “Tony,” he greets somewhat tiredly.

That makes Tony pause in his bouncing. Is this it? “Something wrong?” he asks casually.

But Peter just shakes his head. “Long day at school is all,” he answers, “Also, Ned has been bothering me about him coming over one of these days. Is that ok?”

“Of course it is. Mi casa es su casa and all that. I'm not going to let your 'guy in the chair' hanging. Wow that is a mouthful. He needs a new nickname. Seriously, I am not saying that everything. I think Wade would be a good idea. Do you think Wade is a good idea? It fits him right? Right?”

“Are you kidding? He'll probably faint from having Tony Stark give him a nickname.”

Tony smirks, but inside he winces. That's another thing. Day by day, he has been feeling less and less like Tony Stark and more like Edan. At first, it was just a name he used. A necessary identity. He even let FRIDAY pick out the name because he didn't care. But now, it feels as if Edan is becoming a real person. Tony Stark feels like a dream, almost.

Half of his life seems like a movie – he remembers it like one. Tony Stark was the billionaire, playboy, genius, philanthropist. He was a partier and an asshole and too much. He was Iron Man and saved the world and tried to wipe the red from his ledger. And still too much.

Edan Stark? He's a genius, billionaire, philanthropist sure. He picked up where he left off. But he is at a different point in his life than when he was seventeen the last time. He's not into sex and parties and drugs. He's trying to save the world from aliens for fuck sake! He's still an asshole, but an asshole with a whole hell of a lot less issues. He's interested in different things now, sees things in different ways. He should be the same, but he isn't.

Tony Stark was a super hero.

Edan Stark isn't even human.

All of this runs through his head while he leads Peter to the workshop. As usual, the bots beep their greeting when they enter. He offers them a smile as he walks over to one of his tables. He loves his bots. They amaze him, even if they are several years behind the technology of the time. They aren't just robots. They are alive. And he made them. He created  _ life _ . It is the closest he will ever get to becoming a father.

He motions to the table and Peter walks over and then lets out a high pitched squeal when he sees his new suit. Tony smirks. “Oh the joys of puberty,” he teases, “making teenage boys sound like small girls.”

“Shut up Tony,” Peter mutters, blushing, running an expert hand over the material.

“You don't like it do you?” he continues to tease,”because I can always-”

“Don't you dare touch it. It's perfect just the way it is,” Peter scoops it up possessively away from Tony's reach, “Mine,” he pouts, glaring.

Tony laughs, delighted that he likes it so much. “You don't even know what it does, how can you know it's perfect?”

“Because you made it for me,” he answers matter of factly, “of course it is going to be perfect.”

Something in Tony melts at those words. Damn it, why does he have to be so perfect? He seems to have a knack for saying just the right things at the right time. When he isn't stuttering over everything, as he sometimes does. Peter is an odd combination of too wise and awkward teenage boy. There's no telling which Tony is going to get either.

“Should I leave the two of you alone for a while?” he asks as he watches Peter stroke the fabric.

Peter, being the mature teen that he is, sticks his tongue out at him.

Tony laughs, leaning against him. Burying his head in the other's shoulder, he inhales, melting against him. Peter slings an arm around him, the other still on his suit. This, this right here, is what perfection feels like. This is how things should be. Too bad good things never stay when Tony Stark is involved.

He should say something. This is a great opening. Let Peter know that it doesn't matter if they are dating or not, Tony will still update his suit for him. He won't be petty and let him fight in inferior clothing. He would never do that. There's a difference between being the smaller man and purposefully putting someone in danger. But once again, the words get stuck.

Peter obviously notices because he frowns. “Are you alright?”

Tony nods, but doesn't move his head.

“If you're sure. You know you can talk to me about anything. You know that right?”

Tony just nods again, but refuses to look at his boyfriend. Fuck, he is not presenting the image of a strong, emotionally stable person. No wonder Peter feels he has to stick around, playing nursemaid, when he would rather leave. He thinks Tony is a disaster. Tony _is_ a disaster. He just doesn't want anyone to know that. Not more than they already do, in any case.

“Good.” He cards gentle fingers through Tony's hair.

Tony has a moment where he feels like he is moments away from bursting into tears. He bites his tongue to stop himself. Strong. He has to convince Peter he is strong, so he can do what he wants. He will not tie Peter down like this. After all, it's not as if he hasn't had practice acting like he is an actual human being and not a walking disaster. He's done it before, he can do it now.

Plan formed, he takes one last breath and then straightens up. “What to see what it can do?”

Peter's frown quickly vanishes as his excitement returns. “Do I ever.”

“Well come on then, suit up Spiderling. Time to take that baby for a spin.”

-xxx-

It is five in the morning when Tony gets a frantic call from Jane. For once he had been in bed, sleeping without nightmares. He fumbles to find his phone, but he is instantly awake when he gets his first look at Jane.

Because Jane is strong. She has been through a lot of crap, first with asshole scientists never taking her seriously, sexism rampant, then basically _everything_ that has to do with Thor... Yeah, Jane can kick ass. So for her to call wild eyed, visibly shaking and babbling a mile a minute, something is clearly wrong. Something bad and something big.

Concentrating on her words, he asks, “Did you just say you caused an explosion in the lab? Why is that special?”

“I wasn't touching anything,” her tone is borderline hysterical.

“What?” He's still not seeing it.

“Yes, I've been working on a... project for the last month or so. I was running some tests and it was late and I was tired and right before I got the results my computer crashed and I was so _angry_ and it just _exploded_ all on it's own. The pieces of it are littering my lab and now I have to start completely over and buy new computer and figure out what the hell is happening to me _because these things keep happening and I don't know why_ and-”

“Jane!” Tony shouts to get her attention. “Breathe. I can follow what you're saying fine, but you still need to breathe. It is possible to pass out from babbling too much.” And he would know, it's happen to him before at MIT. Rhodey has never let him forget it either. “You said things like this has been happening?”

She nods. “Weird things have been happening... for a while now. The change came on so slow that at first I didn't even notice it. At first it was little coincidences, little lucky things. Things like always having a pen near by when I always had to go searching before, or there not being a line at my favorite coffee shop. Then it turned into convenient occurrences and the odd events. Stuff would pop up that I knew I didn't buy, but wanted or I knew the key information I needed in a book I never read before.

“These last few months... I've been visibly moving things just by beckoning to them. I created the perfect sandwich out of food we don't have. I, well, I might have stopped time for a second or two, I'm not sure. Now I just made my computer explode and I don't know what to do or who to tell and I'm freaking the fuck out because this wasn't suppose to happen to me. I'm suppose to be the normal one, the girlfriend that always gets left behind while her man goes off and saves the world. I shouldn't suddenly have powers of my own or strange shit happening to me. That's not my role, I never asked for this, but now it's happening and-”

“Jane!” Tony shouts again as a wave of pure relief shoots through him. He isn't the only one. It isn't the same at all and most likely the two events can't compare, but right now that doesn't matter. He is not the only one going through changes. “Fly out here,” is the first solution that pops into his mind and is instantly verbalized.

“What?” She furrows her brows at him.

“Yeah,” he says, warming up to the idea, “you and Darcy come here to the Compound. I'll pay for your flight, don't worry. We can figure it out together. I have better equipment and two heads are better than one. Plus, I'm use to explosions.” And this way, when his other shit goes down, he won't be alone either. He'll have Jane. Take it, he'll have Jane because right now she is scared out of her mind, but still. It counts.

She bites her lip, “I don't know.”

“Yes,” he deadpans, “I can see why you would hesitate – state of the art equipment, all paid expense, the luxurious complex almost to yourself, another brilliant mind to work with. I can see all the problems already.”

She glares at him. “I am not so easily bribed,” she informs him smartly.

Tony roll his eyes at her. “Because that is what I am obviously trying to do. I have to buy all of my friends you know.” And fuck if that didn't come out _way_ more bitter and truthful than he meant it to. No reason to broadcast his issues, no matter if they are in danger of being sold to the media or not. He is allergic to emotions for a goddamn reason.

But apparently that was what she needed to hear because she nods. “Fine, I suppose I can make the sacrifice.”

“Great!”

“You do realize that it is going to be chaos with Darcy there, don't you?”

He shrugs. “A little chaos never hurt anyone.”

“ _ A little _ ,” she scoffs.

“Besides, I've been told before I am Chaos Incarnate. It'll be fine. How soon can you be packed?”

“Give me a couple of days. A week tops, but I doubt we make it that long once I tell Darcy.”

“Awesome Obi-Wan Kenobi, text me the details, I'll have FRIDAY set it up.”

Jane opens her mouth, before closing it again and sighing. In the end, all she says is, “Thanks Tony,” before hanging up.

Tony collapses back onto the bed with a sigh of his own. First he discovers he isn't human and now Jane is using the Force. What the hell is the world coming to? At least this is going to give him something to focus on besides his own problems, but it still isn't going to help. Jane has to be feeling similar to what he is right now, so it's going to be a constant reminder.

Life fucking sucks.

He gets up because there is no way he is going back to sleep after that and stumbles into the kitchen. Rhodey is already there, but he barely registers until Tony finishes his second cup of coffee and pours himself a third. He blinks at him. “Morning platypus,” he croaks.

“I thought you went to bed.”

“I did, but Jane woke me up.”

“She did? Did something happen or is she another one who doesn't know how to keep normal hours.”

“A problem with one of her experiments,” he explains vaguely, “Her and Darcy are moving in so I can help her fix it.”

“She's moving in just so you can fix one of her experiments?” Rhodey sounds skeptical and also wary. He has been more protective lately after everything. And it's not just because of the 'Civil War' either. He and FRIDAY had a chat about his ex team and suddenly his best friend was super picky about anyone who interacted with Tony. That reminds him, he needs to do something about getting an interview out soon. Who should he get to write it? Crystal maybe. Was that her name? Or was it Caroline? It did start with a 'c', right?

“Well, she probably assumes that she's leaving after we fix this, but she isn't. She and Darcy are staying here.”

Rhodey snorts in amusement. “Please let me know when you are going to tell her that. I want to watch.”

“Thanks for the love sour patch.”

“No problem Tones. Well Parker is sure to be happy to have another nerd around the place.”

Something in Tony freezes. That's right. Peter. Peter is going to love having Jane here. They get along as easily as he and her do. Plus he has this odd bromance going with Darcy that he is frankly afraid to ask about. Not the point though. The point is that Peter is going to want to spend time with Jane too. Damn it!

“What's wrong?” Rhodey asks instantly.

Tony waves him off. “Nothing honey bear. Everything is fine, why would you even ask.”

“Because you got that look on your face.”

“What look on my face?”

“The one that says you are going to do something stupid because you think it's what someone else wants, not what you want to do.”

Tony frowns. “That is... oddly specific.”

“You wear it enough, I've had time to break it down.”

“Honey bear. I'm hurt,” he dramatically puts his hand over his heart. “How could you think such a thing? Don't you love me anymore?”

Rhodey just gives him  _ the Look _ . “It comes from a lifetime of experience. Promise me to at least tell me before you try whatever dumb idea you've come up with.”

“I am a genius. I'll have you know that none of my ideas are dumb ideas.”

“Tones.”

“Fine, fine cupcake, I promise.”

“Thank you.”

“Really you worry too much.”

“I have found with you that I can never worry too much. Now do you want to talk about it or are you going to sulk about it some more before you do.”

Tony huffs. “I am feeling attacked right now.”

“Called out you mean.”

“ No,  _ attacked _ . Abuse. I don't have to take this abuse. I am worth more than that.”

“That's right Tones, you are.”

Tony throws up his hands. “Way to ruin it platypus. I had a thing going and you got your emotions all over it. I am out of here.” He shudders, grabs his cup and leaves the kitchen. Behind him, Rhodey, the traitor, is laughing at him.

He grumbles all the way down to the workshop, only stopping when Dum-E rolls over to him. “It's alright buddy,” he reassures the bot, “Uncle Rhodey is just being a meanie, that's all.”

Dum-E beeps and then rolls over to pick up the fire extinguisher and wave it around.

“Yeah kid, you can spray him next time you see him.”

Dum-E races to the door and waits.

Tony collapses in his chair, laughing. Yeah, that'll teach him alright. Not. The most it will do is set off another prank war between the two, but Tony doesn't mind. He opens one of his projects that Peter has not been helping him with and begins working. Not that it matters, it's just a coincidences really. He is not sulking, whatever Rhodey says. And he is _not_ going to do 'something stupid because he thinks it's what someone else wants'. What does he know anyways?

He loses himself in his work, letting numbers and equations dance across his vision. This is the reason he loves being an engineer. It's alive. Everything about it – the numbers, the design, the physics – all of it is alive to Tony. It's not a dead thing to show up and pay the bills with. It is it's own thing. And it's beautiful. Sad how not everyone sees it that way. It would save him a lot of stress and headaches if they did.

“Ah, Dum-E no. Put it down boy. Down!” a voice brings Tony out of his trance. He looks up to see Dum-E spraying Peter and Ned with his fire extinguisher. He sighs. Obviously his bot forgot the part where he was suppose to spray just Rhodey, not anyone who came in.

“ No Dum-E bad,” he scolds, “You are suppose to spray  _ Rhodey _ . Do they look like Rhodey to you?”

Dum-E hangs his claw, beeping sadly.

“Oh no, don't give me that. Hand it here and go into the corner.”

With a pitiful chirp, Dum-E does.

Tony rolls his eyes and gathers some towels he keeps just for this specific occasion. “Sorry about that.”

Peter shakes his head, not upset at all.

Ned though. Ned looks fucking ecstatic about it. “I just got attacked _Tony Stark's_ robot! This is so awesome,” Ned gestures enthusiastically, fling the foam everywhere as he does so.

A smile tugs at the corner of Peter's lips. “I guess so.”

“I guess so,” Ned mimics, “Just because you see this all the time, doesn't mean it isn't a nerd's wet dream. You think you're so cool now that you have a smart, rich new boyfriend, don't you Parker?”

Peter's shoulders hunch slightly at that and something in Tony's chest twists. Peter goes to answer him, but Tony cuts him off before he can. He can't hear this right now. He can't. “Pete, Wade, hey, wasn't that fun? How's life been? How was school? No lame homework I hope.”

Peter just shrugs, dropping down onto a bench.

“Wade? Is that like my official nickname now? I have an official nickname from Tony Stark? And it's old school, the best guy in the chair ever Wade from Kim Possible?”

Tony grins. “Got it in one,” he agrees.

“Sweet. And school is lame, like always. Especially with Flash riding Peter lately the way he has.”

“Ned,” Peter warns darkly, but Ned doesn't listen.

“He found out about the whole actually knowing you thing and won't shut up about it. He's been going on for ages about how 'Penis Parker could never be cool enough to know Tony Stark' and how 'Edan Stark wouldn't give him the time of day' and all that crap. It's getting bad.”

Peter is glaring at Ned viciously, cheeks red. “I said shut up,” he growls.

Tony just stares. This... oh please Babbage let _this_ be the problem. Please let this all be a stupid misunderstanding and not the end of his relationship like he feared. “Peter... you've having some trouble with this kid?”

“It's fine-”

“-It's _not_ fine Peter, it's-”

“-I've been dealing with Flash for years. He's just being stupid right now. It's nothing you need to worry about.”

“Yes it is. _This_ is what's been bothering you, hasn't it?”

“It's nothing, just some dumb kid thing,” Peter continues to protest, cheeks getting redder as he does.

That's what makes it click. “Peter,” he pulls him into a hug, “there's no need to be embarrassed. Bullies suck dick, I know that.”

“How would _you_ know that?” Ned asks, “you're like the definition of cool!”

Tony chuckles, but shakes his head. “I went to college at fourteen. I was in high school for two years before that. You really think those kids liked a snot nosed brat showing them up all the time? Trust me, I know what a pain in the ass bullies are.”

Peter just shakes his head though, in denial. “It's not a big deal alright,” he pulls away, “I didn't want to tell you because it's fine. I can handle it. I'm Spiderman, I've faced down guys ten times tougher than some school yard bully.”

Tony scoffs at him. “It _is_ a big deal if I've been noticing that you've been off for weeks. Obviously it's been bothering you. It doesn't matter if you're Spiderman, people still suck.”

“Yes it does! I can't be a superhero if I'm bothered by a little name calling,” he pulls away from the hug.

“Words hurt just as bad as sticks and stones Pete.”

He rolls his eyes. “That's not how the saying goes.”

“Well it should. Whoever made it in the first place is stupid.”

“They're just words.”

“Which are a very effective weapon. Former weapons dealer remember? I know all about that.”

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” Peter quotes.

“Which is a lovely sentiment, but doesn't always work, now does it?”

“It just means I have to be stronger.”

“You're strong enough already,” Tony scowls at him.

But Peter just shakes his head. “No, I still have to be better.”

“Um, guys?” Ned asks, but neither answer him.

“You're still learning, yeah, but no one ever figures this shit out in a day.”

“But I have to do it,” he insists.

“Not alone you don't. You need help, you call for backup. This isn't any different. I can help you.” Just let him goddamn help! Fuck, Peter is being so stubborn about this. Why can't he see Tony just wants to make sure he is safe? Doesn't matter if it isn't a physical attack, it is still an attack.

“You shouldn't have to.”

“But I _want_ to,” Tony emphasizes.

“You're so busy already. You shouldn't have to deal with my lame problems as well.”

“They aren't lame. I'm happy to help.”

“Guys? You do remember I'm still here right?” Ned asks tentatively again.

“But I don't need it.”

“Obviously you do or I wouldn't have noticed.”

Peter throws his hands into the air. “Fuck, I'm sorry I was so obvious about it ok? I'll do better from now on.”

“Stop saying that like you're some kind of burden.”

“I am if I bother you too much.”

“You don't bother me at all.”

“Look, this isn't a big deal, I just-”

“It is when I'm convinced my boyfriend is about to break up with me!” Tony shouts the words without thinking. Everyone in the room freezes.

“Yeah, I'm just going to leave you two alone now,” Ned tells them as he flees the room.

Peter just blinks at Tony as if he just grew another head. “What did you think?” he asks, frowning.

Tony looks away. “Nothing, it's just my brain overreacting. It happens sometimes, no big deal.”

“Tony...” he trails off, at a loss for words.

“Like I said, don't worry about it. I'm a mess on a good day and today isn't one of them. You can forget I said that.”

“How could you ever think I would want to break up with you?”

Tony shrugs casually. “People get sick of me and leave, happens all the time. I'm too much or they get what they want or I disappoint them. Nothing to cry a river over. Shit happens sometimes.” Or all the time, but no need to point that out. The last thing he wants is a pity party over this. He has issues, he knows he has issues, move on.

Peter reaches for him, but he moves away, going back to his workbench. A hand stops him and he finds himself staring into big brown eyes. “It is a big deal when my boyfriend doesn't know how much I care for him,” he paraphrases.

Tony's heart is beating painfully in his chest. “Yeah?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Peter answers, kissing him softly, “He's the best thing ever. Even if he is an idiot sometimes.”

He feels his mouth tug into a smile as he returns the kiss. “I can relate. Mine is too.”

Peter huffs a laugh. “Yeah, shit happens I guess,” he grins.

They look at each other and burst into laughter. Tony isn't exactly sure what they are both laughing about, but it breaks the tension between them. They lean into each other, supporting the other. It is as if a weight has been lifted off Tony's shoulders. He is unbelievably relieved to be wrong about this. He never wants to lose Peter.

“So this is the part where we kiss and make up right?” he asks cheekily, wanting to crack a joke to help fully erase the tension.

But it doesn't work the way he wants it to because Peter frowns. “Did you really think I was going to break up with you?”

Tony shrugs. He will never admit this, but at the time he originally graduated, he had just broken up with his last boyfriend a few months ago. Because Ty was an asshat. He... may have made a lasting impression on Tony as well. The whole thing still feels fresh, even if it happened decades ago by now. However much he doesn't like to think about it, Ty is a big reason for his trust issues in relationships. Between him and Sunset... “It made sense at the time,” is all he says. “Why didn't you tell me about your asshole?”

Peter shrugs. “I thought I could handle it on my own. I'm a superhero damn it. Flash shouldn't be able to bother me like this.”

“But he does.”

“Yeah,” he sighs, “I just didn't want to look weak in front of you,” he finally admits. “You've been my hero for so long. And that hasn't changed, even though we are now dating. I just... I've always wanted to be like you.”

“And I think you should stick with being yourself. Trust me, you don't want my issues. And remember, no matter what, I can never think you are weak.”

“And I never want to break up with you.”

They smile at each other.

“We should probably go find Wade now. I'm a little worried what he will do in the Compound alone.”

“Yeah, he's fanboying for sure.”

“Should probably hurry.”

“Probably,” Peter agrees.

They go back to kissing instead.

-xxx-

some time later:

“Yeah, they've _definitely_ forgot about me. Oh well. I wonder what this does?”

-xxx-

“Boss, it is time to leave,” FRIDAY reminds him the next day, “If you don't hurry you are going to be late.”

Tony looks at the clock and curses. “Fuck. Thanks fry doll. Be back soon.”

“Kick his ass Boss,” his AI cheers him on.

Tony hops into his Audi and speeds off. Fortunately he makes it to his destination with time to spare. He has the roof down and he can feel everyone staring at him. Good. He scans the crowd, searching for his boyfriend. “Peter!” he shouts when he spots him. He motions for the kids to move so that he can get through. They do with an air of astonishment.

“T- Edan?” Peter sputters, “what are you doing here?”

“I had a last minute change in schedule so I am able to pick you up today. Jump in.”

Peter grins, obviously catching on. He doesn't bother opening the door, taking Tony literally and hopping inside.

“Buckle up, safety first,” he grins.

Peter laughs and obeys.

“Let's fly,” he says as he pulls away, “See you later Ned,” he calls as he catches sight on him.

Ned grins like mad and waves back.

All of the other teen's mouths drop to the ground.

Peter is cackling gleefully now. “Did you see their faces? That was priceless.”

“Even better, I caught the entire thing on video.”

“Best boyfriend ever,” Peter declares.

Tony grins happily. Mission accomplished.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Small note: where Tony says 'please Babbage...', he is swearing by the man's name. Both he and Turning are considered the Father of Computers. (Don't argue with the internet about who is the first one, it gets cranky.)  
> 


End file.
